spamware wtf?

[melchior1]

ok, yesterday I tried to play this video with windows mediaplayer
but I got a message that said I needed an updated codec
so I said ok sure
so I downloaded the file but I some kind of shity spamware downloaded with it
now I have this dumbass icon down by my clock that pops up a message box every 5 minutes or so that says "Your computer is at risk! buy antivirus software now" or some like that
when I right or left click on the icon it shortcuts me to the stupid software's website
it is really pissing me off because I don't know where this downloaded itself to or how to get it out of my icon list thing

[melchior1]

This is really gettin me down
is there a folder somewhere that controls those little taskbar icons cause I sure as hell can't find it

[melchior1]

I figured out how to force it to hide itself but I still get sent to the stupid website periodically with no action on my part

[melchior1]

k, I've done like 2 virus scans and 4 spyware scans since yesterday and there's no viruses but loads of spyware each time(tracking cookies, and getmirars) I have no idea where they're coming from but they're probably from the same place as that damned icon

[Hunessai]

Give us the name of the program that's causing all your problems and the URL of the codec package you downloaded, please.

[melchior1]

www.virusbursters.com/?aff=334
that is the page the little spam icon takes me to
I don't remember where the codec package downloaded from
it was one of those media player things where when it can't play something it suggests a download thingy and you choose either "download" or "cancel" and I believe the site was www.activexsite.com which I just checked out and its a shareware site so there's no telling what I've got on my compy now
EDIT: I came across a link to crap cleaner in one of the other threads......that didn't work either

[Ratwar]

1. What anti-virus and anti-spyware programs have you run?
2. Have you tried restarting in Safe Mode and running the virus scans?

[Ratwar]

Melchior1, I've done a little research for you, and I've found a fix. Download SmitfraudFix.exe from this site:

siri.urz.free.fr/Fix/SmitfraudFix_En.php

I found this site through wikipedia. Apparantly the spyware was originally called VirusBurst, and that's what the site I linked you to calls it, but according to wikipedia, it'll still work.

[melchior1]

Thanks alot, this thing is driving me crazy

WOOT WOOT ;D
I ran the program and the crap is gone!

[Hunessai]

Congrats.

[duckofdoom]

Melchior, I had that crap few weeks ago. Ad-Aware SE Personal 1.06 cleaned it just fine.

[melchior1]

thats wierd cause I have the latest ad-aware and I ran all kinds of scans
they did turn up some tracking cookies and getmirars but it didn't stop the annoying icon thing
that thing that rat found did the trick though, killed it dead

[pilaf]

It's a well known malicious adware.

It pretend to advertise adware buster, in a twist of irony.

I got rid of it with Spysweeper.